Made prisoner, as in war; kept in bondage or confinement.Bound or held by other than physical means, as by the ties of love or other passion; captivated.Holding in confinement: as, captive chains.n. One who is taken prisoner, especially a prisoner taken in war by an enemy; one taken and kept in confinement.n. Figuratively, one who is charmed or subdued by beauty or excellence, by the lower passions of his own nature, or by the wiles of others; one whose affections are seized, or who is held by strong ties of love or any other passion.n. Synonyms Prisoner, Captive. The word prisoner emphasizes the idea of restraint of liberty, but is not rhetorical or especially associated with feeling: the prisoner of war and the prisoner for crime may be shut up in a prison, kept by guards within defined limits, or given a restricted liberty on parole. The word captive suggests being completely in the power of another, whether confined or not; it has come to be a rhetorical word, suggesting helplessness and resulting unhappiness. Captured soldiers under guard are strictly prisoners, but are often and properly called captives. When we speak of a captive bird, we suggest its longing for liberty. The rights and interests of a prisoner are likely to be respected, but the captive may be abused or even sometimes sold into slavery. See captivity.To make captive; bring into subjection.To captivate; insnare.